The Currency of Love

- By Sannyasi Shivani Howe

Harvest season is such a magical time at 'Niwas. To be honest, it’s my favourite time of year (that and Spring when everything starts growing).  The Fall,  a notoriously high Vata time (think, air, either, mental energy, change and potentially ungrounded) really gives us an opportunity to come into the heart, or Anahata Chakra, for its connection to the air element.  This leads us to the potent practice of breathing Gratitude.  It’s simple.  Breathe in wonder, breathe out gratitude.  

Gratitude and Grief are two sides of the same coin in the currency of Love.  Just as fear is our experience of Apana Vayupushing up when Trust is moving down;  Gratitude is the expression of Prana Vayu emanating outwards when Grief is imploding.  

One of my favourite teachings of Martin Pretchel is ‘You have to praise (read be grateful/love) to the dead in order to grieve, and you must grieve the living in order to Love’.   And it is through this lens that I feel the medicine of gratitude comes forth.  For, when we bring gratitude, which lives in the heart and therefore is connected to the past, to the forefront of our mind we are allowing the positive flow of energy (prana vayu) of the past to empower the present. 

As with Spring, Fall is also connected to one of Niwas’ Sadhanas - Navaratri; the nine nights of Durga.  This Sadhana is a wonderful way of taking all that moving energy of the Fall, the change and the transition, and consciously directing it into a practice of mantra to refine and harness the energy of transformation for Spiritual evolution.  The first three days of Navaratri are dedicated to Kali - in her ability to help us let go of all that is no longer serving us.  The next three days are to Lakshmi, which allows her energy of abundance to come forth and fill the space created by Kali.  The last three days are dedicated to Ma Sarsaswati to create integration and wisdom around the transformation (an important aspect that many in sadhana skip or avoid).  The whole experience gives one a tangible cultivation of the energy of Ma Durga.  Powerful, pure, loving and all-encompassing.  If you missed the opportunity to practice the Navaratri sadhana this Fall,  not to worry, you will have another opportunity in the Spring.  

'Til then,  keep your heart flowing in gratitude; love the people and beasts in your present and your past, and drink many cups of warm turmeric milk.  A wonderful elixir for this time of year. ​